Just where is the intersection between spirituality and medicine? Life and Death and the Things in Between is a collection of ten stories documenting the struggles and strengths of the human spirit as it searches for meaning amid challenging circumstances. The stories reveal the psychological and emotional experiences of people in Dr. Arty's milieu who are besieged by profound life-changing events and circumstances, such as severe mental illness, addiction, terminal illness, and personal loss. They are stories of love and courage, and of trauma and suffering. Most of all, they are stories of compassion and hope.
Being a psychiatrist of Haitian origin working in Brooklyn, New York, Dr. Arty has incorporated his heritage and culture into several of the stories-some of which are written within the frame of a medical illness.
The publication of this book is a new proof of Dr. Arty's determination to share his rich experience with other human beings. There is no doubt that the readers will see this book as an invitation to remain compassionate and courageous in the worst times of adversity.
E.F.Thébaud, M.D., Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, SUNY Downstate Medical Center
"In his series of short stories adapted from his personal experiences or that of his patients, Pierre vividly weaves an intricate web of each character's story. His depiction of each story is more enthralling than the other..."
Mary Pender Greene, LCSW-R, Psychotherapist/Author, President and CEO of MPG Consulting
"These are stories of the mentally ill and the disenfranchised, of immigrants and the down and out--stories of life and death, faith, hope, and love. They are stories that touch our hearts with their humanity and their reflection of the human condition..."
T.L. Max McMillen, ELS, Editor-in-Chief, leaflet, a literary and visual arts magazine, and Senior Editor, The Permanente Journal